The State of Israel made available US$ 60 million to invest in various sectors in Angola, including the construction of a solar power plant in coastal Benguela province, to bridge the local deficit in terms of production and distribution of energy.
Israeli ambassador to Angola, Oren Rosenblat, disclosed this on Wednesday in Benguela, while speaking to journalists after a courtesy meeting with the provincial governor, Rui Falcão, stressing that the construction of the mentioned factory appears in response to a request from the local Government.
According to Rosenblat, the province of Benguela has irregularities in the production and distribution of electricity, with a view to the development of this part of the country, with emphasis on its industrial park, hence the initiative to build the solar power plant in the near future.
The diplomat said that the infrastructure, capable of producing 50 megawatts, will be built by Israeli businesspeople as part of a project that the State has developed in the last five years for the sustainable growth of African countries, especially in remote locations and populations that do not have power from the national grid.
He also emphasized that the priority of Israel in Benguela goes essentially to the agricultural sector, since the 10 municipalities of the province have excellent areas for agriculture.
The ambassador however, noted that the State of Israel has invested US $ 300 million in the agricultural sector in Angola since 2014.
Asked about the importance of the Lobito Corridor, he said that its development necessarily involves an increase in the volume of domestic investments. In his view, on the African continent there is a problem "entrepreneurs prefer to invest outside their countries," he said.
To him, the increase in investments in the Lobito Corridor is fundamental for the future of the economies of Angola, DR Congo and Zambia, a process in which the Benguela Railway will play a prominent role.
During two days, the ambassador of the State of Israel, also envoy to the region of SADC, will assess the real potential of the province of Benguela, in particular the Port of Lobito, Railroad, Luongo water treatment system, textile factory, power substation in the municipality of Ganda, veterinary, agricultural and fishery stations of Fazenda Utalala.